Advancing Gender Equality: Why Action from Companies Matters More Than Ever

As the world moves through 2026, gender equality remains one of the defining challenges – and opportunities – of our time. Recent analyses from UN Women highlight persistent gaps that continue to affect women’s safety, wellbeing, and economic autonomy. One of the major concerns is the lack of comprehensive gender-sensitive data: without stronger data systems, large information gaps risk slowing or obscuring progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A broader set of international datasets paints a similarly urgent picture. According to a 2026 analysis by Focus2030, more than 2.4 billion women and girls live in countries with “poor” or “very poor” gender equality scores, and current trends suggest that global gender equality targets will not be achieved by 2030.

The World Economic Forum’s latest Global Gender Gap analysis reinforces the scale of the challenge. Today, the global gender gap is 68.8% closed, and at the current pace it could take over 120 years to reach full parity. While gaps in health and education are nearing equality, political representation and economic participation remain the areas where progress is slowest.

These figures show that achieving gender equality requires sustained action from governments, institutions, and the private sector alike

In this global context, businesses have an increasingly important role to play. Companies are not only economic actors, but also cultural ones. The workplaces they create, the opportunities they offer, and the policies they adopt can influence broader societal progress.

For this reason, advancing gender equality in the workplace is becoming a key element of responsible corporate leadership. By focusing on measurable progress, inclusive cultures, and fair opportunities for career development, organisations can help build labour markets where talent can thrive regardless of gender.

For Generali, gender equality is a continuous effort embedded in the company’s broader people strategy and sustainability ambitions.

Today, women represent 52% of Generali’s global workforce, with around 40% holding managerial positions, which reflects the ongoing work to strengthen female representation across all levels of the organisation.

Ensuring fair compensation is also a key priority. Generali has reduced the gender pay gap for equal roles to just 0.35%, demonstrating a strong commitment to pay equity.

These actions are part of the Group’s GPeople27 – People Powered Excellence strategy, which focuses on leadership development, flexible working models, wellbeing, and an inclusive workplace culture designed to empower employees and support long-term career growth.

Another key pillar of Generali’s approach is investing in leadership pathways for women. The Group leverages dedicated development programmes designed to support female talent and strengthen representation in strategic roles.

At Group level, we are working across all organisational levels to foster the development of women and reinforce their presence in key positions.

One of our global initiatives is the Lioness Acceleration Program, a 12 month acceleration journey designed for senior women managers to enhance leadership capabilities, broaden strategic perspective, and build a strong global network of women leaders.

This global effort is complemented by 100+ local programmes implemented across our Business Units and Countries, ensuring consistent and meaningful support for women’s professional growth worldwide.

Generali’s commitment to gender equality has also been recognised internationally.

The Group has been ranked among the World’s Top Companies for Women by Forbes, placing first in Italy and within the global top 40.

In addition, Generali was named a Top Employer for 2026, for 14 Group companies across 10 countries worldwide, reflecting the company’s continued focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop, feel supported, and build meaningful careers.

While progress has been made, the journey toward gender equality continues.

Looking forward, Generali aims to deepen its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals through continued investment in leadership development, fair compensation practices, and inclusive workplace cultures.

The Group is also strengthening partnerships and social initiatives that promote education, empowerment, and community engagement, helping create opportunities beyond the workplace itself.

Because ultimately, advancing gender equality requires sustained commitment, collaboration, and long-term vision. For companies, this means recognising that building inclusive workplaces is not only the right thing to do, but also essential for creating resilient organisations and sustainable societies.